AN ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY,

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR,

ON THE OCCASION OF THE

INDEPENDENCE DAY ANNIVERSARY

1. Beloved countrymen and women, on this day, fifty-two years ago, our founding fathers brought joy and hope to the hearts of our people when they won independence for our great country. Nigeria made a clean break with more than six decades of colonial rule, and emerged as a truly independent nation. That turning point was a new beginning for our nation.

1. Those who witnessed the lowering of the Union Jack and the emergence of the Green White Green flag continue to relish the memory, because that ceremony was not just about the destiny of a nation, but the future of a people.

1. That future is here; we are the inheritors of a great legacy that goes even much farther into the past.

1. The worthy patriots who made this possible were young men and women in their twenties and thirties. They worked together to restore dignity and honour to the Nigerian people. Their resolve united a multicultural and multilingual nation of diverse peoples, with more than 250 distinct languages and ethnic groups.

1.  In 1960, our diversity became a source of strength, and the new leaders resolved to carry the flag of independence for the benefit of future generations. They had their differences, but they placed a greater premium on the need to come together to build a new nation.

1. It is that resolve, and that glorious moment that we celebrate today. We also celebrate the patriotism of our heroes past: Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Michael Okpara, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Herbert Macaulay, and several others who made the case for our independence.

1. We remember as always, their contributions to the making of the Nigerian nation, and the efforts of their successors since 1960. We also celebrate the unfailing optimism and resilience of Nigerians who remain proud of our national identity.

1. On this special day, I call on every Nigerian to remain steadfast, because our nation is indeed making progress. I call on every Nigerian to rediscover that special spirit that enables us to triumph over every adversity as a people:

1. We weathered the storm of the civil war, we have refused to be broken by sectarian crises; we have remained a strong nation.  I bring to you today, a message of renewed hope and faith in the immense possibilities that lie ahead.

1. Fellow citizens, I have an unshaken belief in the future of our great Country. I consider it a priority and sacred duty to continue to strengthen the bond of unity that holds our nation together and to promote and nourish the creative energies of our people. This is a central objective of our administration’s Transformation Agenda.  Nigeria, I assure you, will continue to grow from strength to strength.

1. Since I assumed office as President of our dear country on the 6^th of May 2010, I have continued to work with our countrymen and women to enhance our nation’s growth and development.

1. Our vision is encapsulated in the Transformation Agenda. We are working hard and making progress on many fronts. We have cleaned up our electoral process; our elections are now globally acclaimed to be free and fair. Nigeria is now on a higher pedestal regarding elections.

1. Over the past five years, the global economy has been going through a weak and uncertain recovery. During the same period and particularly in the last two years, the Nigerian economy has done appreciably well despite the global financial crisis. Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has grown by 7.1 per cent on average.

1. It is also significant that the GDP growth has been driven largely by the non-oil sector. In pursuance of the main goals of the Transformation Agenda, a number of reforms and initiatives are being pursued in key sectors of the economy with a view to consolidating the gains of the economic growth.

1. Our country’s power supply situation is improving gradually. We are successfully implementing a well-integrated power sector reform programme which includes institutional arrangements to facilitate and strengthen private-sector-led power generation, transmission and distribution.

1. We have also put in place a cost-reflective tariff structure that reduces the cost of power for a majority of electricity consumers. I am pleased with the feedback from across the country, of improvements in power supply.

1. We are continuing to improve and stabilize on our crude production volumes; our 12-month gas supply emergency plan, put in place earlier this year, has produced more than the targeted volumes of gas for power generation. A robust Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) has been placed before the National Assembly. Its passage into law will ensure far-reaching reforms, transparency, accountability, increased government revenue and predictability for investors in the Oil and Gas sector.

1. Several government programmes and projects are creating wealth and millions of job opportunities for our youth and general population. Such programmes include: You-Win, both for the youth and for the women, Public Works, the Local Content Initiative in the Oil and Gas Sector, and the Agricultural Transformation programme.

1. We have improved on our investment environment; more corporate bodies are investing in the Nigerian economy. Our Investment Climate Reform Programme has helped to attract over N6.8 trillion local and foreign direct investment commitments.

1. Nigeria has become the preferred destination for investment in Africa. It is ranked first in the top 5 host economies for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Africa, accounting for over 20 per cent of total FDI flows into the continent. We have streamlined bureaucratic activities at the ports to ensure greater efficiency in the handling of ports and port-related businesses.  Specifically, we have drastically reduced the goods clearing period in our ports from about six weeks to about one week and under. We have an ultimate target of 48 hours.

1.  We have put in place, a new visa policy that makes it easier for legitimate investors to receive long stay visas. We have achieved a 24-hour timeline for registration of new businesses, leading to the registration of close to 7, 000 companies within the second quarter of 2012.

1. The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has disclosed that, as at July 2012, 249 new members across the country had joined the Association, and that capacity utilization has also improved. The multiplier effect of this development on our job creation programme cannot be over-emphasized.

1. In the last two years, we have put in place structures for an upgrade of the country’s health sector, to promote in every respect, the individual citizen’s right to quality, affordable and accessible healthcare.

1. In this regard, we are devoting resources under the Subsidy Reinvestment Program (SURE-P) to reducing malaria incidents, dramatically reducing maternal and child mortality, and eradicating polio.

1. Fellow Nigerians, in recent times, we have witnessed serious security challenges in parts of our country. We have taken pro-active measures to check the menace. This has included constant consultation and collaboration with our neighbours and other friendly nations on issues relating to internal and cross border security, and the sharing of information on smuggling and illegal dealing in small arms and light weapons.

1. Our security agencies are constantly being strengthened and repositioned for greater efficiency. Many Nigerians have acknowledged that there has been a significant decline in the spate of security breaches.

1. While expressing our condolences to the affected families, let me reiterate the commitment of this Administration to ensure the safety of lives and property of all Nigerians.

1. Even as we remain focused on the issue of security, the fight against the scourge of corruption is a top priority of our Administration.  We are fighting corruption in all facets of our economy, and we are succeeding. We have put an end to several decades of endemic corruption associated with fertilizer and tractor procurement and distribution.  We have exposed decades of scam in the management of pensions and fuel subsidy, and ensured that the culprits are being brought to book.

1. In its latest report, Transparency International (TI) noted that Nigeria is the second most improved country in the effort to curb corruption.

1. We will sustain the effort in this direction with an even stronger determination to strengthen the institutions that are statutorily entrusted with the task of ending this scourge.

1. I have given my commitment of non-interference in the work of the relevant agencies and I am keeping my word. What we require is the full cooperation of all tiers of government, and the public, especially civil society and the media.

1. This Administration has also introduced for the first time in Nigeria’s history, a Performance Contract System for all Ministers, and other officials of government. This is to further place emphasis on performance, efficiency, and service delivery.

1. Fellow Nigerians, our determined efforts on several fronts not-withstanding, our country still faces a number of challenges.

1. Those challenges should not deter us. In the last few weeks, for example, many of our communities have been ravaged by floods, resulting in the loss of lives and property, and the displacement of persons.

1. I want to reassure all affected Nigerians that I share in their grief, and our Administration is taking steps to address these incidents, in collaboration with the States and Local Governments.

1. I have received the interim Report of the Presidential team that I set up to assess the flooding situation across the country.

1. The Federal Government has taken measures to assist the affected States, while considering long term measures to check future reoccurrence.

1. We must continue to work together, confidently and faithfully, to ensure that our country’s potentials are realised to the fullest; that our dreams are translated into reality; and that our goals are achieved.

1. Let me reiterate that our administration is committed to the pursuit of fundamental objectives of an open society: the pursuit of freedom, security and prosperity for the Nigerian people, and the rule of law.

1. In the next few days, I shall lay before the National Assembly the 2013 Federal Budget Proposal so that deliberations can commence in earnest on the key policies, programmes and projects that will mark a decisive year for our development and transformation.

1. I have no doubt that by the time I address you on our next independence anniversary, many of our reform efforts would have yielded even better results.

1. Over the years, several leaders have built on the foundation laid by our Founding Fathers. The baton is now in our hands. Let me assure all Nigerians that we shall not fail.

1. I am confident that Nigeria will continue to be a source of pride to its citizens; to Africa and the Black Race and to humanity; a land that is known for progress, freedom, peace and the promotion of human dignity.

1. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. May God bless you all.

For all of the criticism and praise that President Barack Obama has received for his handling of international relations with the Muslim world, the president has never launched an official campaign aimed at obtaining the Muslim vote in America. Now, a website that purports to do exactly that has been unearthed, the implications of which raise concerns over how to deal with the Muslim community in America.

“Muslims for Obama,” which was first written about by Makor Rishon’s Tzvika Klein, has no official affiliation with Obama’s campaign, but uses Obama’s official campaign logo, claims to be “a grassroots effort by and for American Muslims,” and is used mostly to organize volunteers, receive donations and get the word out about the concerns of the American-Muslim community through frequent blogging.

“We want to create a space for American Muslims who support Obama,” the site’s bio reads.

Obama’s official campaign website features a list of  20 or so sub groups aimed at people of different faiths and races who want to get involved in the president’s re-election in a community context. Among the list are networks for Jewish Americans, Catholics, Asian-Americans, Latinos and more. “Our groups are made up of supporters organizing around the issues they care about,” boasts the site. “As a member of a group, you’ll be connected with an online and offline community of people passionate about re-electing President Obama.

Noticably missing from the list of groups? Muslim-Americans. With more than 2.5 million Muslims in the U.S. they make up a significant number of voters. However, the Muslim religion in the U.S., ever since the terror attacks of September 11th, has been a contensious issue and many presidential candidates are weary of campaigning directly to the Muslim communities.

Ever since Obama stepped onto the political scene his connection to the Muslim world has been shaky. People have speculated that he is a Muslim, taking his middle name, Hussein, as what they see as undeniable proof. He has been criticized for pandering to the Arab world while being too tough on Israel and snubbing Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

So the fact that Muslim-Americans have been left off the official campaign site might make sense in this context but it does seem odd that while the site includes groups that must be smaller than the Muslim-American community, groups such as Native Americans and sportsmen, the 2.5 million person community has been left out.

“There is a Muslim campaign, it’s not official, but it’s a quiet campaign,” Mark Sell, Chairman of the Republican Party in Israel, told Makor Rishon.

“The connection between Obama and Muslims is clear,” said Sell. “There’s a long list of actions by Obama towards the Muslim community over the past few years, and he has people at campaign headquarters who are responsible for maintaining the connection with the Muslim community in America, so it would be impossible to say definitively that there is no outreach.”

“Because of the failing policies of Obama in the Middle East there are Republican, and even Democratic, attacks on the lack of balance in the Middle East. If Obama would officially establish a campaign aimed at the American Muslim community it would be like adding fuel to the fire. He doesn’t need the reactions that would come of it, enough people already criticize him for being pro-Muslim,” he continued.

Sell also pointed out that the Muslim communities are mostly concentrated in three states – New York, New Jersey and Michigan. New York and New Jersey always vote Democratically, so Obama does not need to spend much time or effort campaigning there. This leaves only Michigan,  and for those running Obama’s campaign the logic is most likely that it is not worth setting out on a massive and controversial campaign aimed at Muslims for the votes of a few hundred thousand in one state.

Despite the efforts of resident journalists in Bauchi state to remain objective in their reports and analysis of events, a group of hoodlums suspected to be sympathetic to the ambition of an Abuja based political neophyte touting himself as a 2015 gubernatorial aspirant, has started over heating the polity by sending threatening text messages to selected journalists and publishers considered as being too objective in a bid to induce fear into them and do the opposite against the ethics of the profession.

In one of such threat text messages sent to the publisher of a Lagos based weekly tabloid, The Mail News, Mr. Collins Igbokwe, it was stated that, “Mr. editor, I hope u know what u are doing, don’t allow anybody to use ur medium for evil, we handle them when d times comes, be careful”.

The text message, suspected to have originated from a politically sponsored group of miscreants by an Abuja based political neophyte who is said to have embarked on the recruitment of miscreants and other vandals as he warms his way to the 2015 gubernatorial race, was received by the publisher penultimate Tuesday, September 25, 2012.

Observers posit that the text message must be connected to an interview granted the weekly publication by Yakubu Alhaji Jibrin, secretary-general of an Abuja based NGO, National Congress for Democrats that is in the fore-front for the call of a sack and probe of the serving FCT Minister, Senator Bala Muhammed for what the NGO alleges as poor service delivery to the FCT as well as glaring corrupt practices bedeviling the FCDA.

Responding to the text message, Collin Igbokwe said, “The coward who sent the message hid his GSM number for fear of any reprisal action. I have already alerted security agencies and we are working assiduously to fish out the culprit who must be a miscreant. Such hooligans are not supposed to enjoy any air of freedom”.

When contacted for his comments on the threatening text message, Yakubu Alhaji Jibrin opined that, “Journalists are like soldiers in battle field. No amount of threat should discourage them from publishing the truth no matter how bitter. The threatening text is a way some miscreants want to show solidarity to their pay master. But let them know that nobody has monopoly of violence. Anybody can decide to go violent and disrupt the peace. We are equal to the task and we are working assiduously to see that our request is honored by the president. We are not deterred by any threat. If anybody has the guts or is bold enough, let him come out to either debunk our allegations or meet us one on one to see who smiles last. We cannot be intimidated neither threatened by hungry hoodlums”.

Meanwhile, according to the publisher, the text message has been sent to the relevant security agencies for subsequent action through the service providers who are expected to identify the sender and bring him to justice.

Information reaching 247ureports.com indicates that the Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Hope Eghagha has been kidnapped.

According to the information , the kidnappers attacked the Commissioner on the late morning of Sunday, September 30,2012 near Asaba, the capital of Delta State. The attack was reported to have killed the  Commissioner’s security men. The Commissioner is believed to have been snatched unhurt.

The Commissioner was kidnapped as he drove from Warri to Asaba. According to the information obtained, the kidnappers pounced on him at Abavo community.

An unofficial statement obtained by 247ureports.com from a security agent attached to the Government in Asaba indicates that the surge in kidnapping activities in Asaba is directly connected with the former head of anti-kidnapping group within the police force stationed in Asaba. The head of the anti-kidnapping unit was reported to have been fingered by kidnappers as having played a role in facilitating the numerous kidnappings in Delta State.

stay tuned

Delta State Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan at the weekend in Asaba, commissioned 1,250 tricycles with a warning to politicians not to interfere with the distribution of the tricycles as it was exclusively reserved for commercial motorcycle operators.

Dr Uduaghan stressed that the tricycles were strictly for commercial motorcyclists popularly called okada, warning politicians to keep off as it was not meant for political patronage.

He specifically enjoined politicians not to see it as an avenue for providing jobs for their boys and advised them to go to the open market if interested in empowering their boys with tricycles.

His words ‘’I like to appeal to the political class not to interfere in the distribution of these tricycles. Do not use it to settle your boys. The tricycles are strictly for the okada riders who are transiting from okada to tricycles’’.

The Governor who subsidized the cost of the tricycles up to 70 percent from 400,000 thousand naira to 150,000 thousand naira warned operators of the tricycles to restrict themselves to the routes approved for them.

Dr Uduaghan stated that the introduction of the tricycles was to replace and gradually phase out the commercial motorcycles as part of measures to ensure safety in the transport sector and security in the State.

He noted that okada usage has done more harm than good in the state especially increasing the security challenge of the State adding: “the time has come for us to adopt a comprehensive transport system that would guarantee the safety of lives and property in the State”.

The Governor assured okada operators that his administration was not leaving them empty handed explaining that the present efforts to start from Asaba , Warri and Effurun would be extended to all urban centres of the state.

Dr Uduaghan further announced that the ban on okada usage in major cities has been extended by one month to November 1st 2012, to give okada operators enough time to prepare for the new policy.

Amidst cheers, the governor announced that the state has procured some boats and were expecting, more which would soon be commissioned for use in the riverine areas of the state.

He said: ‘’we are improving the transport sector and very soon more commercial buses and boats for riverine transportation will be commissioned. I assure you we will not relax until things are better for our people’’.

The Commissioner for Transport Honorable Benson Igbakpa in his address explained that the provision of the tricycles was to return sanity on the roads and ensure the safety of lives and property.

He appealed to okada operators who were the major beneficiaries to maintain and use the tricycles judiciously as it would encourage the state government to purchase more.

Igbakpa assured the governor that his Directorate would monitor and ensure that the 1,250 tricycles were strictly used for the purpose for which they were meant for to enable Deltans derive maximum benefits from the initiative.

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Less than four years after he caused his parents to miss President Barack Obama’s inauguration, 6-year-old Aiden Williams gave his family a memory with the president they will never forget.

The first-grader at Kent’s Holden Elementary School gave Obama a high-five after his campaign stop at Kent State University Wednesday.

Aiden was with his parents, KSU doctoral students Traci Easley Williams and RaMone Williams, who lifted his son out the crowd of 6,600 to reach the president.

“Aiden had his hand out to shake it, and the president said, ‘Hey buddy, give me a high-five,’” Easley Williams said.

Aiden said since Wednesday, he has been telling his friends and classmates “all the things (Obama) said” in his speech. He said he likes the Obama because “the president is good.”

Easley Williams said she, her husband and Aiden had a chance to see the president in-person in 2009, but in a slightly bigger crowd. The Williams family visited Washington, D.C. for Obama’s inauguration, but left before Obama arrived because the event overwhelmed Aiden.

“It was just too much for a 2-year-old to be around all that chaos,” she said.

After missing the president at his inauguration, the Williams family suffered a different kind of letdown after Obama’s stop in Kent. After all the excitement died down, Easley Williams realized neither she, nor her husband took a photo of Aiden with the president.

“My husband and I were so bummed when we got home,” she said. “(I said), ‘I can’t believe we didn’t get that picture.’”

Luckily for the Williams family, the professional photographers at the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center, including the Record-Courier’s Lisa Scalfaro, saw the president extending his hand to the grinning boy and snapped away.

After Obama’s speech, Scalfaro said she noticed Aiden extending his arm while sitting on his father’s shoulders, and waited for the president to notice, too. When Obama reached out for his young fan, Scalfaro said she knew she had a great shot.

One of Easley Williams’ colleagues in KSU’s Department of Pan-African Studies called her the next day to tell her a photograph of the high-five made the front page of the Record-Courier.

“I just started screaming,” Easley Williams said. “I threw on some other clothes and just ran and just bought like 30 copies.”

The Williams family later learned photographs of Aiden and the president made an appearance on the Washington Post’s website, along with a few other blogs.

“When (Aiden) saw the paper, he couldn’t stop laughing,” Easley Williams said. “He thinks he’s a celebrity now.”

Easley Williams said the president’s visit to Kent made her son an Obama supporter for life. Unfortunately for Aiden, he might not be able to help the president as much as he thinks he can in November.

“I was trying to explain to (Aiden) that he can’t vote yet, but I think he really thinks in his mind he can vote,” Easley Williams said.

Contact this reporter at 330-298-1126 or tgallick@recordpub.com

DAMASCUS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) — A pro-government Syrian TV said 15 people were massacred by “armed terrorist groups” in central Syrian towns on Sunday, while activists reported violent clashes between the Syrian troops and armed rebels in the northern province of Aleppo.

The Sama TV reported the massacre in the towns of al-Haidarieh and Ghasanieh near the central province of Homs, placing the initial toll at 15.

On the same incident, the pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV said hundreds of armed insurgents stormed the two towns overnight and rousted locals out of their homes before killing 17 of them and kidnapping seven others.

Al-Mayadeen gave no further details, but also reported a big blast targeting a command center of the rebel Free Syrian Army in Hass area near the northwestern province of Idlib and killing four of its leaders.

In separate accounts Sunday, the opposition Local Coordination Committees (LCC) said intense clashes are taking place in the northern Aleppo city between the government troops and armed rebels.

The clashes are taking place at the neighborhoods of Salahuddien, al-Azamieh and Saif al-Dawla in Aleppo, the activists said.

The pro-government Sham FM said scores of armed insurgents were killed Sunday at Dar-Azzah and al-Jandoul roundabout in Aleppo, a city of about 3 million, which has emerged as a key battleground in Syria’s conflicts.

In the capital Damascus, the LCC said the Syrian troops stormed Sunday the restive suburb of Harasta, carrying out house-to-house raids and arrests.

The LCC also reported violence throughout the country including clashes between troops and rebels, who are trying to turn the tide in the 18-months-old crisis in Syria.

The activists’ claims could not be checked independently, but clashes in the suburbs of Damascus have become increasingly common despite the lull every now and then in those areas.

More than 3,000 students and staff of the Atani Campus of the Federal Polytechnic, Anambra State, have been displaced by flooding arising from the overflowing of the River Niger. Ten offices and 15 classrooms were totally submerged after the downpour of Thursday night, the Public Relations Officer of the polytechnic, Mr. Obini Onuchukwu, said on Friday.

“Documents and other equipment of the institution were lost. Our students are currently being evacuated by the school authority to safe areas awaiting emergency relief from the government,” he said. Onuchukwu said the management was contemplating closing down the campus in view of the development, which did not seem to be abating. He said the institution was in dire need of support and assistance from relief agencies.